Another Light Day

Breitling Regatta 2007

Medemblik, Netherlands

Yesterday was a typical day of light winds at the ISAF Grade 1 Breitling Regatta in Medemblik. After a short delay, racing got underway at 12:05 for the 49ers. It was another day of close racing with the usual suspects making gains.

The 49er fleet have completed six races and Petro SIBELLO and Gianfranco SIBELLO (ITA) sailed are still leading. They sailed a six, a seven and ended the day with a first place. Two points further back are Nathan OUTTERIDGE and Ben AUSTIN (AUS) in second position whilst another steady day for Dalton BERGAN and Zack MAXAM (USA) puts them in third.

It was another day of close racing in the Star class and two more races completed. With four races sailed and one discard the Portuguese team Afonso DOMINGOS and Bernardo SANTOS are still leading. Followed by Eivind MELLEBY and Pedersen PETTER MORL (NOR) who are just two points behind and the Croatian team of Marin LOVROVIC and Sinisa MIKULICIC who are just one point behind them in third place.

Brits dominate

The British team of Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB and Pippa WILSON had a good day in the Women's Keelboat class. With a sixth, a first and a second place they are now in first position with a four point lead. The young Dutch team with Renee GROENEVELD, Marije FABER and Floortje HENDRIKSEN had a bit difficult last race and drop down to third position. An excellent start for 470 Olympic Champion Sofia BEKATOROU, Sofia PAPADOPOULOU and Christina HARAMOUNTA (GRE) puts them in second overall with three top five finishes including a bullet in race two. BEKATOROU's pedigree certainly makes this a team to watch!

The Laser Radial class top was dominated yesterday by the British girls and the top three places are very close. Laura BALDWIN takes over the top spot from world #1 Evi VAN ACKER (BEL) who slips to third whilst Penny CLARK (GBR) claims the #2 position, just one point behind BALDWIN. The gap back to fourth place is slightly larger but it's another Brit Andrea BREWSTER who leads the chasing pack.

Whilst the British girls dominate the Radial fleet, it is the Dutch on top in the Laser. Tied on 20 points each, Eduardo VAN VIANEN leads with four bullets from six races, followed by Rutger van SCHAARDENBURG. Tobias SCHADEWALDT (GER) finishes up the top three but on equal points with fourth placed Tom SLINGSBY (AUS).

The RS:X fleets both sailed two more races yesterday and now have a discard. In the women's fleet Jannicke STALSTROM (NOR) had another great day in the difficult conditions and stays on top of the leaderboard counting three bullets. Olympic champion in the Mistral, Faustine MERRET (FRA) also had a solid day with a second and a bullet to sit just two points behind STALSTROM whilst Flavia TARTAGLINI (ITA) is another two points back in third and hasn't finished a race below third place.

In the Men's fleet Ricardo SANTOS from Brazil had an outstanding day with two bullets and like STALSTROM leads the fleet with three points, counting just bullets. Chi Ho HO (HKG) followed Ricardo around the course in both races to take two bullets and move up to second overall.

Italians strong in 470 fleets

The Italian Women are sailing strong in the 470 fleet and winners from Semaine Olympique Française, Giulia CONTI and Giovanna MICOL are leading after six races just three points ahead of the other Italian team Elisabetta SACCHEGGIANI and Elisa CECCONI. There is also Italian success in the men's fleet where Gabrio ZANDONA and Andrea TRANI are still leading. They may not have had such an outstanding day as on day one, but their lead ahead of second placed Benjamin and Romain BONNAUD (FRA) extends to 13 points. Anton DAHLBERG and Sebastian OSTLING (SWE) slip to third.

After two first places on day one Christopher COOK (CAN) finished sixteenth and eighth yesterday and slips from the top spot. Moving up is Ed WRIGHT (GBR) who posted a second and a first place to lead by five points from COOK. Dan SLATER (NZL) holds the #3 spot after a much stronger second day.

In the Tornado class the best results yesterday came from Xavier REVIL and Christophe ESPAGNON from France. With only twenty points after six races they are thirteen points ahead of the second placed Johannes POLGAR and Florian SPALTEHOLZ (GER).

For a complete list of all the news from the Breitling Regatta 2007 CLICK HERE.